Day 257 To the Death

 

9/14/2025

"Do not be overcome by evil, but 

overcome evil with good."

  Romans 12:21 

 

Last week was one of the most difficult ones of my lifetime, because tragedy happened to one so young - Charlie Kirk was only 31 years old, assassinated on 9/10/2025. But this week, a continuation of last week,  attention is amplifying further into multiple national and international tributes to this young man for his stand for freedom and his voice for Christ. He wanted to be remembered for his courage and faith, and he most definitely will.

I remember the shock of my life on November 22, 1963, when John F Kennedy was assassinated in a motorcade; I was 13, a young teenager, but I respected and admired this courageous man. He was only 46 years old, our youngest President. On April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated at the age of 39, and two months later, on June 5, 1968, Robert Kennedy was assassinated at the age of 42. Three giants who touched my young life forever. I believed in the message that brought, especially Dr. King, and I continue to speak of him often as an influence in my life, although I was only 17 years old when he and Senator Kennedy died. Senator Kennedy was a Presidential hopeful when he died.

I attended a live event (online) at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC last night with 85 members of Congress, as well as other members of government, present paying their homage to Charlie and their support to Erika, his widow and their two small children, and to the Turning Point USA staff. Sean Feucht led worship. He was a close friend of Charlie's, whom he met when his friends and church turned their backs on him when he decided to run for a government seat in California. Apparently Charlie heard about it and reached out to Sean and encouraged him. Isn't it amazing how God places people into our lives at just the right moments. My contact is merely through prayer groups, but I feel as if I know him. When he spoke, he made us all proud, because he was not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and he knew the only answer is Jesus. I pray for Erika and the children in this time of deep grief, and for their parents, hers and Charlie's. I cannot imagine the depth of the sorrow. I continue to struggle with the crushing blow to my gut and pain in my heart. I have experienced my own grief in loss, but nothing of this magnitude. I think of Erika so often throughout the day, as I remain in disbelief of this whole thing. O, Abba Father, please hold them close, and bring them Your peace, shalom. Robert Kennedy shared that one time Charlie asked him if he was afraid to die. His response to Charlie was that there were worse things than dying. We have comfort and great joy in knowing that Charlie is in Heaven with Jesus, but we will miss him.

Our message this morning was taken from Mark 4:1-20 - the story of the sower and the seed. It seems appropriate, well-timed, I feel, another intervention as people are wondering "where do we go from here?" For weeks I have been sharing with my "audience" that in my quiet time, Holy Spirit has been shining a light on the motives of my heart. Are they pure or do I have a different "agenda" or "take" on things. I can honestly say that I ask God for His will alone to be done on earth, as it is in heaven, in my life. I want none of me. As pastor shared this passage of scripture, he asked us to consider where we stand in our relationship with the Lord, especially at this time of crisis, as each day becomes a little darker. But then Jesus did say this would happen. Listen to the words of Jesus as He shared this parable:

"'Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside, and the birds of the air came and devoured it. Some fell on stony ground where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had not root it withered away. And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. But other seed feel on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced; some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.' And He said to them, 'He who has ears to hear, let him hear!'" (Mark 4:3-9) 

When Jesus was alone with His disciples, they asked Him the meaning of the parable (see verses 1-20). Jesus was always patient in explaining, as when we have questions, we should always ask Him, and most definitely not run to unreliable sources or those who would sow fear or discord. Everything we need can be found in scripture, but we need to spend time alone with Him, abiding in the secret place, in order to grow in the truth which brings real peace, God's shalom peace. 

In the parable, the sower is the one who shares the word of God. The type of soil represents the condition of one's heart. When a person first hears the Gospel of Jesus Christ, they may appear to receive the word, as they were listening intently, but the soil of the heart is not prepared for truth, so the enemy, satan,  immediately snatches it away. The seed or word that falls on stony ground represents a heart that may hear the word and receive it gladly, yet they have no root. They don't apply themselves to studying the Bible, attending services regularly, so they never become grounded on the word. Persecution comes in or someone may challenge them or treat them differently, but alone, he has no strength, so he stumbles and falls. The seed that falls on soil where thorns sprout up are those who hear the word, but when troubles of the become too heavy, such as is happening now in our world, almost daily with increased murders, crimes, anger, hatred rising up, discouragement comes in, and it chokes out the word, and there is no fruit. Apparently, there has not been discipleship and regular Bible study and application of the word. Faith is weak, and fear sets in. But then, there is the seed that falls on prepared soil, hearts rooted and grounded in the word. This person is active in church attendance, Bible study, growth in personal time with Jesus, growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, interacting with others, and yielding fruit. Jesus said we would be known by our fruit, and by our love for one another. 

Because the prophetic time clock, as I like to call it, is ticking, and the time of Jesus' return is imminent, we need to be busy about His business. It is not a time to fall into fear or despair or silence. It is a time to be bold to speak the truth of God's word, and it is a time to examine our hearts to see where we stand in the parable just described. How is our faith? Are we wavering or standing strong? Are we ready to meet our Master? I know that is my heart's only desire. To be who I am supposed to be, bringing honor and glory to His Name. The best way we can share Christ is by sharing our testimony, and by engaging in honest conversations in love. Never shy away from the truth. I say this to myself as well. We must be bold, and Charlie Kirk is a righteous example of a man who spoke the truth boldly, with compassion, and in love. May we follow his example and go and do likewise.